Increasing temperatures, changing precipitation, rising sea level, more intense and frequent extreme weather events and melting glaciers, ice sheets and Arctic sea ice are some of the challenges for Europe already triggered by global climate change, says a report released today by the European Environment Agency, the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Impacts of Europe's changing climate

This report makes strikingly clear that many regions and sectors across Europe are vulnerable to climate change impacts. Implementation of adaptation actions has only just started. We need to intensify such actions and improve information exchange on data, effectiveness and costs.

Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the EEA

The report 'Impacts of
Europe’s changing climate', based on 40 key indicators, stresses
the consequences of both observed and projected changes, including an
increased risk of floods and droughts, losses of biodiversity, threats
to human health and damage to economic sectors such as energy,
transport, forestry, agriculture, and tourism.

Adaptation challenges

The report highlights that vulnerability to climate change varies
widely across regions and sectors in Europe. It shows that the main
vulnerable areas in Europe are mountainous regions, coastal zones, the
Mediterranean and the Arctic.

The report underlines that, in addition to enhanced global
greenhouse gas emission reductions, pro-active adaptation measures are
also needed to moderate effects. Many of today’s adaptation activities
are focused on flood management and defence so there is scope for more
action in other sectors.

The expected European Commission paper on adaptation will frame a
European adaptation strategy. Furthermore, many countries are
developing and implementing national adaptation strategies. The report
will assist in the development and implementation phase of these plans,
for example through the use across all countries of the indicators
presented in the report.

Too many gaps in climate change information

The study also calls for a co-ordinated effort by countries, the
European Commission and other organisations to fill key information
gaps. We need improved monitoring and reporting of climate data and
observed impacts, more detailed spatial and socio-economic scenarios;
better information on vulnerability; more information on good practices
in adaptation actions and their costs and better information exchange
mechanisms.

"This report makes strikingly clear that many regions and sectors
across Europe are vulnerable to climate change impacts. Implementation
of adaptation actions has only just started. We need to intensify such
actions and improve information exchange on data, effectiveness and
costs", says Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the
EEA.

The report proposes the setting up of a European Clearing House on
climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to make such data
widely available to users, with the support of the EU Shared
Environmental Information System (SEIS), the EU
Kopernikus
programme on global monitoring for environment and security, and in
collaboration with the WHO Climate, Environment and Health Information
System (CEHAIS).

Key findings of the report:

Global average temperature has increased almost 0.8 °C above
pre-industrial levels, with even higher temperature increases in Europe
and northern latitudes.

Annual precipitation changes are worsening differences between a
wet Northern part of Europe and a dry South, with some Mediterranean
regions receiving 20% less rain than a century ago.

According to satellite observations, global sea level has increased
up to 3.1 mm/year in the past 15 years.

The reduction in Arctic sea ice has accelerated: in September 2007
the minimum surface was only half the normal minimum measured in the
1950s. Arctic species such as seals, whales and polar bears are under
threat.

Glacier retreat in Europe’s mountain systems, and the changes in
temperature and precipitation, will have widespread consequences.
Projections show an overall increase of river floods across Europe but
an increase in river droughts in the South.

A northward movement of certain fish species —1000 km in the past
40 years—can have adverse effects on fisheries, such as reducing cod
stocks in the North Sea.

Spring phytoplankton blooms in lakes are now occurring up to one
month earlier than 30-40 years ago, which may favour harmful
cyanobacteria threatening human health and ecosystems.

Plants, birds, insects and mammals are moving further north and
uphill. By the end of this century, plant species may have shifted
several hundred kilometres to the north and up to 60 % of mountain
plant species may face extinction.

The agricultural growing season is now longer, especially in the
North. Although this may favour the introduction of new crops, crop
yields will become more variable because extreme weather events are
projected to increase.

Increasing water demand for agriculture in the Mediterranean region
will lead to unsustainable competition for water with tourism and
households.

The growing season of forests is also changing and the danger of
forest fires will increase in southern Europe.

Human health is also significantly affected by climate change. The
70,000 excess deaths reported from 12 European countries in 2003 could
be an example of health impacts to come. Climate change increases the
frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Projected future
effects of heat-waves, floods and droughts, worsening air pollution and
changes in vectors and plant distribution are likely to harm the health
of many people, if global warming is unconstrained. Health system will
need to be strengthened and action will need to be taken for particular
vulnerable people, like the elderly, children or disadvantaged
populations.

Notes to the editor:

About the European Environment Agency (EEA)

The EEA is based in Copenhagen. The agency aims to help achieve
significant and measurable improvement in Europe's environment through
the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to
policy makers and the public.

About the JRC

The European
Commission’s Joint Research Centre has contributed extensively to
sections of the report on air quality, river floods and droughts, soil,
agriculture and forestry. The JRC is the reference centre of science
and technology for the European Union, serving the common interest of
the Member States, while being independent of special interests,
whether private or national.

About the WHORegional Office for
Europe

The WHO Regional Office for
Europe has contributed to the report’s sections on human
health. WHO Europe supports the 53 countries of the European Region,
representing almost 900 million people, improve the health and
wellbeing of their populations. Its activities on climate change
include support to programmes to prevent the consequences of heat and
floods, combat infectious disease, improve water and sanitation
services, respond to natural disasters and provide information to the
public on how to avoid risks. The Office also coordinates the review of
the scientific evidence on the links between climate and health.

About the European Topic Centre

The European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change (ETC/ACC)
contributed to the report’s sections on cryosphere, marine and
terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems. It is a consortium of European
institutes lead by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
(PBL) contracted by the EEA to contribute to EEA’s work on air quality
and climate change.

EEA Reports

Speeches

'Adaptation to
climate change in Europe', speech by Prof. McGlade, Executive
Director, European Environment Agency, at the European Meteorological
Society European Conference on Applied Climatology, Amsterdam, 2
October 2008.

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